<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Flowers Blooming in the Moonlight by GrimTamlain</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29713374">Flowers Blooming in the Moonlight</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/GrimTamlain/pseuds/GrimTamlain'>GrimTamlain</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Across All of Time and Space [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Flash (TV 2014)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Ballroom Dancing, Drabble, F/M, Flashbacks, Fluff and Angst, Harrison Wells "twin", Harry goes out in public as Henry Wells, S2E10, Tina McGee has a desperate crush on Harrison Wells, fancy black tie events, first meeting with Eobard Thawne|Harrison Wells, the best haiku i ever wrote is in here</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 18:02:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,582</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29713374</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/GrimTamlain/pseuds/GrimTamlain</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In an attempt to thwart Zoom, the team--minus a disgruntled Cisco--go the Central City Museum gala for the showcase of the 'Crystal Ball', to lure the Turtle in for capture.<br/>While attending with Harry, Persephone can't stop seeing the parallels from this night, to the night she first met Harrison Wells--Thawne--haunted by the melody of 'River Flows In You' (Yiruma, Miriam Belotti).</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>(mention) Barry Allen/Patty Spivot, (mention) Caitlin Snow/Hunter Zolomon|Jay Garrick, Earth-2 Harrison "Harry" Wells/Original Female Character(s), Eobard Thawne | Harrison Wells/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Across All of Time and Space [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2167512</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Flowers Blooming in the Moonlight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>There will be a drastic difference in Persephone's personality when it comes to her interactions with Harry and Harrison|Thawne</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Do we have anything?” Barry asked, walking into the Cortex, where Caitlin, Cisco and Jay gathered, with Harry in the adjoining room. Persephone stepped in after him, heels clacking against the floor, a smile on her face.</p><p>          “Actually, I may have an answer,” she murmured, reaching around Jay to pull up an event listing. “Central City Museum is holding a gala to showcase its new addition ‘The Crystal Ball’.”</p><p>          Barry looked confused, looking between Cisco and Jay in question. Jay shrugged. “It’s a famous painting recently recovered.”</p><p>          “It’s priceless,” Persephone added, leaning against the desk to relieve her aching feet. “I wasn’t going to attend, what with the questions I’d be subjected to about—” she used air quotes. “Harrison Wells.”</p><p>Cisco eyed her get up, his eyes narrowed. “And how do <em>you</em> know this?”</p><p>          She smiled, a slight grimace, looking down at her heels, showing them off. “As CEO of Star Labs, and a prestigious donor to the museum thanks to Thawne, I was sent an invitation.”</p><p>“Oh, does that mean I get to be your date?” he asked, wiggling his eyebrows at her. She felt her lips twist uncomfortably, as she glanced at him.</p><p>          “It’s a <em>choice</em> event,” she murmured, apologetically. “High class.”</p><p>          “<em>Girl</em>, I <em>am</em> classy!” Cisco guffawed. Barry hid a smile as he looked away.</p><p>          “The fact that you have to <em>say</em> it, Ramon, means you are <em>not</em>,” Harry rasped from the adjoining room, moving to lean against the doorway between the two areas. </p><p>          “Oh, like <em>you’re</em> any better, Mister Grump?” Cisco sneered, folding his arms, defensively.</p><p>          “<em>Well</em>—” Caitlin said, her eyes widening when Cisco turned on her.</p><p>          “<em>Rude</em>,” he snapped. Turning back to Persephone, his lips pushed out in a pout, he tried to give his best impression of puppy-dog eyes.</p><p>          Patting his arm delicately, she turned towards Barry. “I could get you in, as long as you have the appropriate attire.”</p><p>          “I’ll call Patty,” he said, flashing a grin as he pulled his phone out. Cisco snorted, dropping into one of the chairs, obviously unhappy.</p><p>“Oh, but the energetic <em>puppy</em> gets to go,” he grumbled. Turning back towards Persephone, he looked her up and down. “Don’t you need a date to one of these things?”</p><p>Persephone rolled her eyes, leaning down to rub at her ankle. “I would need someone high-profile to avoid the questions—”</p><p>“I’ll go,” Harry rasped, tucking his hands into the pockets of his jeans.</p><p>Cisco snorted. “Are you forgetting that you have the face of a confessed murderer—whose supposed to be <em>dead</em>?”</p><p>Exchanging a glance with Caitlin, hiding a smile, Persephone leaned over Cisco to press a couple buttons, pulling up an employee file on the screen. “Meet Doctor Henry Wells, twin brother of Central City’s own Harrison Wells. Courtesy of Felicity Smoak.”</p><p>Cisco glared at the screen for a moment, before turning the glare onto Persephone. “Henry? We’re going with <em>Henry</em>? Are we married to that name, or—”</p><p>          “It’s my middle name,” Harry grumbled, pushing his glasses up to rub his nose, before folding his arms. “So, yes. <em>Henry</em>.”</p><p>          “You got a suit, buddy? Because I’m sure a hoodie isn’t exactly appropriate attire—”</p><p>          With an uncomfortable clearing of her throat, Persephone refused to meet his eyes as she murmured, “I still haven’t <em>exactly</em> sold the mansion yet, so Wells suits are still—” she paused to grimace. “—available.”  </p><p>          “Seph, holding onto the mansion isn’t—” Caitlin murmured, stepping forward to comfort her.</p><p>          “I <em>know</em>,” she snapped. She sighed, reaching out to touch Caitlin’s shoulder, adding in a softer tone, “I know. Sentiment just so happens to be on our side this time.”</p><p>          “Okay, <em>great</em>!” Barry said, excitedly. Turning towards him, the team watched the happy grin that pulled his lips. “Then I’ll see you at eight—”</p><p>          “Seven,” they all corrected, in unison.</p><p>          “Seven,” he murmured, hastily, making sure she knew the correction, before hanging up.</p><p>          Looking down at her watch, Persephone stood up, gesturing for Harry to follow her. “That gives us three hours. Better get a move on.”</p><p>*</p><p>Standing in the walk-in closet, Harry scowled as he looked at all the suits on the rack as he finished buttoning up the crisp white dress shirt.</p><p>          “Did Thawne ever <em>not</em> wear a suit?” he rasped, as Persephone strode into the room towards him, humming a noise, moving to fasten a pair of silver cufflinks to his sleeves. He looked down at her, his eyes widening slightly, as he took in her appearance.</p><p>          She wore a dress of glittering silver, flowing down into a small train, the sleeves managed to make her look both frail and powerful, while the bodice itself fastened high on her neck, with a cutout that plunged from her clavicle to just above her naval. The dress was fastidiously modest, which only seemed to accentuate the indecent way it was fitted to her. Her white-blonde hair was braided along the sides, coming together to form a bun at the nape of her neck that blossomed like a flower. The entirely colorless look made her lavender eyes pop, the kohl lining her lids accentuating the color, while the lipstick she had applied was pink, it was subtle, a shade darker than normal.  When she reached up to fix his bow tie, she caught his gaze for a moment, before focusing on making the fabric perfect.</p><p>          “You look beautiful,” he whispered, his voice rough. Still focused on the bow tie, he watched as her lips curled in a small smile, the skin around her eyes crinkling just a little.</p><p>          “Keep looking at me like that, and I might start believing you actually like me,” she murmured, eyes finally meeting his as her smile widened. Patting his chest gently to remove non-existence wrinkles, she hummed in approval before settling onto the chaise to put on a pair of lavender heels, the color matching perfectly with her eyes.</p><p>          When she stood up again, he had pulled the suit jacket on, large mechanic’s fingers moving deftly to button the middle of the three silver buttons. Walking confidently out of the walk-in closet, with Harry a couple steps behind her, she snagged the lavender clutch from the dresser, making her way towards the waiting limo outside. Checking her watch, a soft chuckle escaped her.</p><p>          “What is it?” he rasped, opening the door to the black vehicle for her.</p><p>          “Thawne usually took his time getting ready for these functions,” she murmured, as she took his offered hand to help her slide into the seat. “But you took longer.”</p><p>          He huffed a laugh as he closed the door on her smiling face, shaking his head as he rounded the limo, settling in beside her. He looked over at her, his eyebrow lifting, watching as she pulled a pile of paperwork towards her, flicking through them with a pen, her tongue clicking as she read through contracts.</p><p>          “You’re working,” he mused.</p><p>          “They do say you are a <em>very</em> intelligent man,” she quipped, her gaze focused on the forms, but a smile curling her lips. “Glad to see they weren’t wrong.”</p><p>          “Cute,” he rasped, pulling the modified pulse rifle out to check it over. He had modified it to a simple hand-held version, something he could carry discreetly on his person, that would go virtually undetected.</p><p>          “Work never ends,” she murmured, flicking her gaze over his hands as they meticulously check to make sure it’s working. “You’re a CEO, you should know.”</p><p>          He laughed, humorlessly. “I have a building full of employees; unlike the handful you possess.”</p><p>          Signing her name in a series of loops and swirls, she looked up from the papers to smile at him, the expression a little too sharp. “Doubly so, then.”</p><p>          Tucking the pistol away, his lips twitched, as he nodded his head in acknowledgement. “Touché.”</p><p>          She hummed a pleased sound, glancing out the window, before tucking the files out of sight. As the limo pulled to a stop, Harry glanced out the window, towards the museum, his jaw tensing as he saw the horde of paparazzi, waiting for the guests.</p><p>          “Time for the world to meet Doctor Henry Wells,” she murmured, amused.</p><p>          He rolled his eyes, stepping out of the limo as the driver opened the door, taking a moment to look over the amassed gathering and building, buttoning his suit jacket, before turning to take her hand as she slid out behind him. Immediately the paparazzi surged forwards, almost hysterical as they took in the sight before them: the CEO of Star Labs on the arm of a murderer. He felt her fingers tighten on his hand, and as he looked back at her, he saw the electricity spark across her cheeks as her jaw tightened, her eyes beginning to glow. Turning towards her, he towered over her, blocking her for a moment from the crowd, eclipsing her.</p><p>          “Remember, it’s just work,” he whispered, as her eyes locked on his, the glow in them dissipating, the electricity fizzling out. “Just have to play our parts.”</p><p>          She nodded, a jerk of her head. He pulled her hand up, pressing a kiss against her knuckles, before he placed her hand on the crook of his arm, turning back towards the crowd. She shed the anxiety, sloughing it off like oil over water, a radiant smile on her face as they made their way towards the entrance of the museum.</p><p>          “Doctor Kore! Iris West from CCPN, a question?” Looking into the crowd, focusing on the familiar face of her friend, Persephone smiled, patiently waiting for the question, a pleasant expression on her face. With a twitch of her own lips, Iris stepped forward, hand outstretched with her phone, recording them. “Your date has a striking resemblance to your late paramour: Harrison Wells, confessed murderer of one Nora Allen. Care to comment?”</p><p>          “Astute as always, Iris West from CCPN,” she replied, with practiced ease. “In fact, I <em>do</em> have a comment—nay, an introduction.”</p><p>          Turning to look up at him, her expression shifted, causing his ears to heat up. Her fingers squeezed his arm reassuringly, before turning to look back at Iris.</p><p>          “This man just so happens to be my late paramour’s twin brother, Doctor Henry Wells,” she continued, her lips twitching as she held in the conspiratorial giggle, Iris’ lips twitching in turn. “Henry has been more than kind enough to provide his expert opinion in the direction Star Labs should go to repair our unfortunate reputation.”</p><p>          “A follow up?” Iris asked, breathless in her attempt to hold in the laugh. Persephone grinned then, nodding once, placating. “Harrison Wells’ autobiography never mentioned a brother, never mentioned family of any kind. Where has Doctor Wells brother been hiding out?”</p><p>          Harry cleared his throat then, pulling the paparazzi’s attention to him, as he placed a hand over Persephone’s in his arm. “While Harrison and I both worked to improve the world with technological advancement, I also have a daughter I was raising on my own.”</p><p>          Iris grinned, opening her mouth to thank them, when another reporter shoved through, recorder in hand, voice demanding as he asked, “And does Missus Wells know that you are here without her?”</p><p>          The smile that curled Harry’s lips was a warning, a little too sharp, as he stepped forwards, leaning closer to the recorder to respond.</p><p>          “Almost a decade ago, my late wife succumbed to an incurable illness.” His words pulled soft murmuring from the crowd, as the reporter shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. He pulled away, looking down at Persephone with a fathomless expression, one that made her breath catch in her lungs. He turned back to Iris, his lips twitched up, amused as he continued, ignoring the other reporter, “I would hope, after a decade of grieving for her passing, she would be pleased with my choice of date tonight.”</p><p>          “T-thank you, Doctor Wells,” Iris stammered, pulling her phone back to herself to turn the recording off. She mouthed an apology at him, and he inclined his head, accepting it.</p><p>          “On <em>that</em> note,” Persephone murmured, swallowing past the lump in her throat, she forced a smile. “I think it best we go in to marvel at this prestigious painting. Don’t work too hard.”</p><p>          With a wink at her friend, she allowed Harry to lead her away from the paparazzi, sweeping her through the doors, and into the party. Making a beeline for the bar, he ordered a double scotch, downing the glass immediately. Ordering a glass of chardonnay, tapping the brim of Harry’s to indicate another one for him, she looked up at him, concern etched into her face.</p><p>          “Harry. I’m sorry—”</p><p>          “No need, Kore,” he rasped, sipping his drink this time. “It was well known on my Earth what happened to Jessie’s mother. I’ll be fine.”</p><p>          Glancing around the gala, she saw Jay and Caitlin speaking quietly as they danced, and then Barry and Patty as she had just arrived as well. As she turned back towards Harry, her gaze caught on Doctor McGee, who happened to be heading straight for them.</p><p>          “Heads up,” she murmured, indicating the older woman headed in their direction.</p><p>          “Doctor Kore,” she said, her posh accent still a sound that pulled pettiness out of her. “Harrison never mentioned a brother before, much less a <em>twin</em>.”</p><p>          “Tina, it’s always a delight to see you,” Persephone said around gritted teeth. The woman glanced back at her, the contempt evident in her gaze. With a smug smile, Persephone reached up to pick a non-existent speck from Harry’s suit jacket, her fingers lingering on his chest, her smile widening as she watched the way the older woman’s eyes narrowed. With a simpering pout, she added, “I’m not surprised Harrison never told you about his family. He was always a <em>secretive</em> man.”</p><p>          Harry’s eyebrow lifted as he watched the exchange, having never heard such a tone from her before, taking another sip of his scotch, amused at the possessive way she kept touching him.</p><p>          “Harrison always had a soft-spot for the social sciences, didn’t he?” Tina snapped, her nostrils flaring as Persephone’s pout turned into a delighted smile. The older woman raked her gaze over the silver dress, a sneer curling her nose. “Unfortunately, he always preferred flash over substance.”</p><p>          Persephone’s body went rigid at the added insult, lightning crackling under her fingertips against Harry’s chest, sparking brightly in her anger. He reached around to place a hand on the small of her back, pulling to tuck her into his side, his thumb rubbing soothing circles into her skin through her dress. Her cheeks were flushed with indignation, her lavender eyes narrowed menacingly. Then her expression softened, her tense muscles relaxing, a warm smile curling her lips.</p><p>          “The thing you need to remember, Tina, isn’t that he chose me over you,” she said, setting her glass of wine down behind her. Turning back towards her, her grin was too sharp, as she purred, “It’s that, unlike you, I didn’t have to throw myself at him to get his attention.”</p><p>          Tina’s mouth gaped open in shock, as she struggled to come up with a response. Curling her fingers into the lapel of Harry’s jacket, Persephone gazed up at him, her smile turning sheepish. His lips twitched in amusement, taking her hand to lead her anywhere, to get away from the older woman. But Tina decided that subtlety wasn’t working, deciding to lash out instead.</p><p>          “I was right about your lack of substance, Doctor Kore,” she snapped, her voice rising, gaining attention from those around her. “Harrison has been in the ground less than a year, and you’ve already moved onto his brother. Scandalous, one would say.”</p><p>          Persephone froze, the air leaving her in a gust as if she had been punched, pressing a hand to her chest to dull the ache. Watching the way her expression crumpled, a protective impulse took over Harry, turning to walk back towards McGee, towering over her, as he sneered down at her.</p><p>          “She may be too professional to speak freely, <em>Doctor</em> McGee, but <em>I</em> am not,” he growled, watching as the woman shrunk back from his anger, flinching at the reminder that she was, in fact, a prominent woman in society, acting like a child. “The man you knew as Harrison Wells was a manipulator, a liar, and a murderer, but even <em>he</em> didn’t want to be caught in bed with a vapid bitch.”</p><p>          Ignoring the murmurs that rippled throughout the gala at his words, he turned on his heel, striding back to stand in front of Persephone, who gazed up at him, her eyes searching his face. When she found what she was looking for, her lips twitched before turning to move towards Caitlin who was trotting towards them, the skirt of her blue dress held in her hand.</p><p>          “Seph!” the other woman greeted with a squeal, reaching out to take Persephone’s hand, pulling her away with an apologetic smile to Jay who stopped beside Harry, dragging the small blonde towards the bathroom. Pushing through the door, looked her over, her eyes reflecting the sparkle of her dress. “Seph, that dress is gorgeous!”</p><p>          Looking down at her gown, Persephone twirled in place, the train swishing out around her, the material of her skirt gathering around her, gracefully. Unable to meet Caitlin’s eyes, she turned to look in the mirror, making sure her makeup was perfect. Caitlin moved to stand beside her, catching her gaze in the mirror.</p><p>          “You didn’t buy it, did you?” she asked, her voice soft.</p><p>          “I found it in the closet,” she whispered, rummaging through her clutch to pull out a small piece of stationary, with familiar handwriting printed on it in blue ink.</p><p>
  <em>‘The most beautiful flower<br/>
‘Will blossom at night,<br/>
‘Beneath a moon of silver.<br/>
--H.’</em>
</p><p>          Caitlin swallowed thickly, her hands shaking as she read over the prose, looking up to see tears swimming in the lavender eyes of her friend. Handing the note back, she waited silently, as Persephone placed the poem back into her clutch with trembling fingers.</p><p>          “Want to tell me what happened with Doctor McGee?” Caitlin asked after a moment, attempting to change the subject.</p><p>          “She was just her usual self,” was the sniffled response. A smile burst across her face, brief and fleeting as she wiped her fingers delicately under her eyeliner, to remove the moisture, turning to leave the bathroom. As she stepped through the door, her gaze caught on Harry waiting patiently for her, his lips twitching in a smile. As a pianist started plucking a hauntingly familiar tune, a long-buried memory surged forward…</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>It was at the Star Labs research gala, all Star Labs employees were there, curious about the announcement that was coming for the extravagant plans that Harrison Wells had that would stroke the fire of technological advancement, shooting them to the top of the scientific world. Her college friend, Cisco Ramon, had asked her to go, had tried to get her to apply to the tech company with him, thinking that this would be the way to convince her.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>          When she had arrived at the Star Labs building, nervously brushing her hands down the silver and lilac material of her flowing gown, she had been in awe of the way the atrium had been decorated. The decorations were in a pleasing mix of navy and light grey, fairy lights having been strung along the walls, looping across the wide ceilings, the entertainment in the form of a string quartet accompanied by a piano—it was like stepping foot into a modern fairy tale. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>          “Went all out, huh?” Cisco startled her out of her reverie, sidling up to stand beside her, his long hair pulled into a bun, wearing a black blazer over a—surprisingly—plain burgundy shirt, and a pair of black slacks. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>          “It’s beautiful,” she whispered, delighted. </em>
</p><p><em>          “Gaudy, you mean.” The snarky reply came from Hartley Rathaway, moving smartly towards them, his expression of disdain clear in the way his nose wrinkled. He sighed, dramatically, as his gaze passed over the two of them. “But to those who haven’t been to such </em>classy<em> events wouldn’t know the difference, would you?”</em></p><p>
  <em>          Cisco opened his mouth to snark back at him, but was cut off as a calming, deep voice cut in, tinged with humor. “Hartley, I thought I said to play nice.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          With a roll of his eyes, Hartley smiled with a sneer, bowing his head, before walking away. Turning her head to look at the man who spoke, her heart skipped a beat as she found she had to tilt her head back to look up Harrison Wells. The violins seemed to match the tempo of her heart, picking up in speed and volume as she met the pale blue eyes of the exceptional man who had brought them all together. </em>
</p><p><em>          “Cisco,” he murmured in greeting, his gaze never leaving hers. “Who is this </em>delightful<em> little flower?”</em></p><p>
  <em>          She blushed, ignoring the way Cisco rolled his eyes at her with a smirk, as he said, “Doctor Wells, this is Doctor Persephone Kore, psychologist.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          “Interesting,” Doctor Wells murmured, his eyes brightening as he looked at her in a new light. “Your field?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          “I—uh—biological and evolutionary,” she stammered, flushing a deeper red when Cisco snorted out a laugh, turning to cover it with a cough. Doctor Wells smiled then, fascinated. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>          “Indecisive?” he asked.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          Her lips curved in an embarrassed smile, dropping her gaze to look down at her shoes, wrapping an arm around her torso to grip her other arm above the elbow. Her response was quiet, “Intrigued by both.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          “Would you care to elaborate?” he asked, gently. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>          “They go hand-in-hand,” she murmured, glancing up, unable to meet his eyes. “Having a solid understanding of both fields could do wonders for the world; being confined to one area deprives us of a deeper understanding of our mental capabilities. With both, we could theoretically reach a higher level of thinking that could lead to extraordinary accomplishments.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          Doctor Wells’ smile widened. Turning to Cisco, he nodded his head towards the other side of the room. “Caitlin has been wanting to discuss with you her latest hypothesis, Cisco. She happens to currently be in a rather frigid debate with the fiery Ronnie Raymond.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          With a grin, and a comforting touch on her shoulder, Cisco darted off to find his new work friend, calling out her name as he went. Doctor Wells turned his attention back to her, his expression softening as he reached forward to tuck her white-blonde hair behind her ear, his calloused fingers brushing lightly across her cheek. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>          “Pardon my forwardness,” he apologized, his voice dropping to an entrancing whisper. As the violins let their last note fade away, and the pianist started playing a gentle melody, he held his hand out to her, invitingly. “Would you care to dance?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          With a hesitant smile, she placed her small hand in his much larger one, letting him lead onto the dance floor. Leading her into a gentle spin, he pulled her closer to him, cupping her hand gently in his left, while his right brushed down her spine, fingers tapping as he moved, to rest hotly against the small of her back, as her left-hand held her skirt aloft at her side. As he stepped forward, she floated back, the two moving together across the floor gracefully, her skirts swirling around them like water lapping calmly at the shore. They moved in sync, every move he led her through, she followed elegantly; the butterflies in her stomach soaring and plummeting in time with the music, with their movements. She arched into him as she turned her head away, caught up in the swell of the song as he spun her around her the room, her heart pounding in her chest. He twirled her gently away from his body as she let go of her skirt, the material rising around her with the momentum; he twisted his wrist just enough to tug her back him, capturing her tight against his body, trapping her arms to cross at the base of her spine, as the pianist plucked the last note.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          When she opened her eyes, he was gazing down at her, an unfathomable emotion in the depths of his pale blue eyes, his breath ghosting across her skin, his chest rising and falling just as quickly as hers; she could feel his heart thundering in time with hers. With her head tilted back the way it was his lips were just above hers, his gaze dropping down to her mouth as she licked the suddenly dry flesh.</em>
</p><p><em>          The sound of applause startled her, causing her to jerk out of his arms, flushing scarlet as she looked around the atrium, remembering that they were, in fact, in the middle of a </em>lot<em> of people. She touched the backs of her fingers to her heated cheeks, earning a rumbling chuckle from Doctor Wells. Holding his hand out to her once more, she instinctively placed her small one on top of his, a gasp parting her lips as he bowed over her hand, meeting her gaze as he brushed his lips across her knuckles.</em></p><p>
  <em>          “I seem to be indecisive,” he murmured, his lips twitching into a small smile as he straightened, leading her off the dance floor, towards the bar, her hand still held gently in his. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>          “Oh?” she asked, eloquent as always.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          He smiled roguishly at her. “I can’t decide whether I want to offer you a position on my team, or selfishly ask you to dinner.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          “Doctor Wells—”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          “Please,” he implored, pleasantly. “Call me Harrison.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          “Harrison,” she breathed, testing the name on her tongue. “I have nothing to offer your company, professional or otherwise.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          He smiled as they reached the bar, ordering himself a scotch and a chardonnay for her. She smiled shyly as she took the glass.</em>
</p><p><em>          “I beg to differ with your assumption,” he murmured, putting a hand in the pocket of his slacks as he took a sip of his drink. “Professionally, well, you yourself said that with a proper understanding of your fields of study, we could work towards ‘extraordinary accomplishments’. This company was built for advancements in </em>science<em>, not just technology.</em></p><p><em>          “As for </em>otherwise<em>.” He huffed a laugh, his eyes sparkling as he looked at her over the edge of his glass. “It’s intriguing that a woman as young as you, in any time, can pick up on a waltz, much less a Viennese waltz, without training.”</em></p><p>
  <em>          If she blushed anymore, her skin would be stained red for eternity, she was sure of it. He placed his empty glass on the counter of the bar, pulling his hand out of his pocket to reach forward, brushing his fingers softly over the heated skin of her cheek, across her jaw, down to brush her hair over her shoulder, his palm resting hotly against her neck. His thumb caressed her jawline as he stepped closer, towering over her. Pressing his thumb under her jaw, he tilted her head back, leaning forwards so his breath ghosted across her lips, his mouth hovering above hers, taunting her in a way she had never experienced. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>          “If you tell me no,” he whispered, his tone dropping into a purr. “I will respect it—will acquiesce anytime you tell me no. I will, however, still offer you a position on my team, regardless. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>          “Have dinner with me. Tomorrow night. Allow me to court you,” he added in that same purr, his lips brushing hers in a whisper of movement, eliciting a gasp. Her heart was pounding in her chest, a yearning thrumming through her veins, making her heady with his deep voice. Her tongue darted out to lick her lips, a soft whine escaping her throat, an answering groan rumbling up from his chest. His voice was husky, brushing his thumb across the pulse-point in her neck, as he rasped, “Tomorrow.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          “Doctor Wells?” Hartley interrupted, his words dripping with venom as he glared at her. “It’s time to make your announcement.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          Closing his eyes against the intrusion, Harrison pulled away from her, taking her hand to place a kiss against her knuckles, his eyes dark with the dilation of his pupils. She felt faint from the way he looked at her, as if he would devour her if given the chance; her heart hammering away in her ribcage like a rabbit trapped by a starving fox. As Harrison turned and strode towards the center of the room, picking up a champagne flute on the way, Hartley shot her a disgusted sneer before following him. </em>
</p><p><em>          “What was </em>that<em>?” Cisco’s teasing tone made her jump, as he moved in beside her, Caitlin and Ronnie along with him. “Could </em>feel<em> that sexual tension across the room!”</em></p><p>
  <em>          “That was a beautiful dance, Seph,” Caitlin added with a dreamy smile. “It was romantic.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          “Or workplace sexual harassment,” Ronnie laughed, letting out a grunt as Caitlin swatted him in the stomach. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>          “He offered—he offered me a position on the team,” she said, dazed. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>          “Yes!” Cisco shoved her shoulder, eyes burning with mischief. “You said yes right? Cause, girl, we gunsta have some fun!”</em>
</p><p><em>          Caitlin smiled warmly at her. Their attention was caught as Hartley tried to gather everyone’s attention, his nasally voice cutting through the noise. Grimacing, Caitlin muttered under her breath, “Maybe with you working with us, Doctor Wells might see how </em>annoying<em> Hartley is.”</em></p><p>
  <em>          “Thank you all for joining me this evening,” Harrison said, looking around the room, his gaze catching hers, his smile widening. “On top of my gratitude for you all joining my team here at Star Labs, I planned tonight to unveil the main focus of our research here: the first Particle Accelerator.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          Excited murmurs and applause rang out within the atrium, Cisco whooping loudly as Ronnie whistled through his fingers. Harrison grinned, lifting his glass in their direction, before returning to his speech.</em>
</p><p><em>          “As most of you here know, the Particle Accelerator is not only a feat of technological engineering, but a product of how far we have come in our journey from single-celled organisms to the complex creatures we have become,” he continued, as Persephone looked up through the glass ceiling to the glittering stars above them, the full moon high in the sky. Lowering her gaze, she watched as an older woman started making her way towards their little group but returned her attention back to Harrison when she remembered they were at the bar. “With the finest minds in science behind this venture, we can unravel the mysteries of the universe that have been a secret to us for eons! I look forward to the advancements we will be making in the near future. </em>To science<em>!”</em></p><p>
  <em>          With that he raised his champagne flute in the air, before downing the glass, the room erupting in applause and cheers. The woman Persephone had noticed before had finally made it to the bar, stepping forward to grab her attention.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          “Doctor McGee, a pleasure to see you here,” Caitlin exclaimed in greeting, shaking hands with the woman.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          “Please, Caitlin, call me Tina,” she murmured, her voice heavily accented. “Mister Ramon, Mister Raymond, a pleasure. And who are you, dear?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          Persephone’s body tensed up at the way Tina looked at her, reproachful with carefully disguised contempt. She felt Cisco’s hand brush against hers, comfortingly, grounding her. She felt her lips twist in a pleasant smile, holding her hand out.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          “Doctor Persephone Kore,” she introduced herself.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          “I would like to hear more about your field of study, Doctor Kore, if you wouldn’t mind walking with me?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          “Of course, Doctor,” she murmured, putting her glass down, falling into step beside the older woman. “What would you like to know—”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          “Harrison Wells is a very charming man, is he not?” the older woman asked, cutting her off. Persephone bristled, her skin seeming to tighten as shocks of energy coursed through her, something that happened whenever her emotions were caught in whiplash.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          “He is,” she responded carefully.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          Tina smiled at her, reassuringly. “Some would even say he’s too liberal with his affections. Do you happen to read tabloids?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          It dawned on her then what the woman was trying to say. Her smile was a bit too sharp when she came to a stop, her hands clasped behind her back, looking up at the other woman.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          “I do not,” she murmured. “But I am quite capable at reading between the lines.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          “Persephone—”</em>
</p><p><em>          “</em>Doctor Kore<em>, thank you.”</em></p><p>
  <em>          Anger flashed through the older woman’s hazel eyes. “A young woman, such as yourself, can find her very promising career crashing around her if rumors were to spread. I only wish to see your reputation not be damaged—”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          “Tina McGee, I don’t recall inviting you to this celebration,” Harrison murmured in way of greeting, striding towards the two of them. Persephone watched as Tina preened beneath his gaze, the reason behind her ‘advice’ finally making sense. Harrison stopped beside them, a smile warming his face as he reached out to brush Persephone’s hair off her shoulders, his fingers ghosting over her skin. “I see you’ve met this delightful little flower.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          “Yes, Doctor Kore and I were getting better acquainted,” Tina said, her voice sickly sweet, her eyes narrowed at his lingering hand, her lips tightening with anger. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>          Harrison glanced sharply at the other woman, his eyes narrowing a fraction, before turning his attention back to Persephone. His eyes darkened as he watched her lick her lips, his hand stilling on her shoulder. His voice was rough, as he said, “I don’t mean to pressure you, Persephone, but I just can’t seem to wait for an answer.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          “An answer?” Tina demanded, sharply. “An answer to what?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          “I’ve been offered a position on his team here at Star Labs,” she murmured, looking behind Harrison to see Ronnie walking up towards them, with Caitlin and Cisco eyeing them worriedly. “If you’ll excuse me, Doctors, I believe Mister Raymond has been waiting patiently to speak with you.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          With a strained smile, she walked away, whispering a quiet thanks to Ronnie as he passed her, trying not to run away from the animosity coming from Doctor Christina McGee in waves. She had made it possibly seven steps, when a large, calloused hand caught hers, tugging her gently back. </em>
</p><p><em>          “</em>Persephone<em>.” The way he said her name sent pleasant chills through her body. </em></p><p>
  <em>          “Yes,” she breathed in answer to his questions, closing her eyes as she tilted her head back. She felt his fingers tighten on hers for a fraction of a second, felt the air around him vibrate in the same second, before she opened her eyes again. She smiled, a thrill chasing her blood through her veins at the way his eyes darkened, dropping down to stare at her lips. “I’ll take the job.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          “As for dinner?” he asked, his voice a whisper.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          She pursed her lips to keep from smiling, but the skin around her eyes crinkled. Reaching up to adjust his tie, she huffed a laugh out of her nose. “We both know you can do better than that.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>          Stepping out of his reach, she saw the smile twitch his lips, knowing he would wait patiently for that second yes…</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>She shook her head of the recollection, grinding her teeth at the memory of how <em>easily</em> Thawne had enraptured her, her naivety perfect fodder for his plans to bear fruit. As the pianist finally moved into the melody of that first song with Thawne, Harry stepped towards her, his eyebrows furrowed like normal, his hands buried in the pockets of his slacks.</p><p>          “Ramon says we need a distraction to lure the Turtle out,” he rasped. Persephone watched him, amused, as he struggled with getting the words out. He reached up to rub the bridge of his nose with a groan, earning a laugh. Looking down at her, he took a deep breath in, before holding his hand out to her. “Dance with me.”</p><p>          A delighted laugh burst from her lips. Smiling coyly at him, she asked, “Is that a question or an order?”</p><p>          He sighed, heavily, beckoning her by twitching his fingers. His voice was a growling rumble as he answered, “Both.”</p><p>          She made an indecisive noise, using her hands in a gesture as if weighing her options, the silver of her dress shimmering with her movements. He growled, and she laughed again as he grabbed her hand, pulling her behind him to the dance floor, as she lifted her skirt into her left hand so she wouldn’t step on the material of the train. Coming to a stop, he used his hold on her hand to twirl her around him, until her back was flush against him. Taking her left-hand in his, he hesitated before pressing the palm of his right hand against her stomach, his fingers brushing the soft skin that the plunging cutout exposed. She turned her head to try and look at him, but he pressed his forehead into her hair, his breath brushing against the nape of her neck, the starting position far more intimate than either were expecting.</p><p>          Spreading his fingers across her stomach, they stepped forward together with their right legs, moving into a turn, flirting gracefully through the steps. Spinning her elegantly away from him with the smallest of gestures with the hand on her stomach, he swirled her elegantly around him, stepping sideways then back, to fluidly take her right-hand in his left, pulling her flush against him, his hand moving to grasp her waist. Still using the momentum of the twirl, he led her in a glide across the floor, watching as her eyes closed, obscuring their glow as lightning sparked through their entwined fingers and across her face.</p><p>          Persephone felt like she was dancing in the clouds during a lightning storm. With Thawne she felt like she was being buffeted by the winds, drowned by the rain, struck down by lightning—with Harry she controlled the storm, every step she took was followed by the resounding song of thunder, every twirl and spin a flash of electricity.</p><p>          Harry spun her around again, catching her lightning dance as he pulled her against him, his torso cradling her back, his breath heavy against the skin of her cheek as the song came to an end. Her right arm was crossed over her torso, her hand held low at her waist, her left-hand reaching up behind her to rest against his neck, his free hand resting at the base of her throat. Her face was tilted up to his, his nose pressed against her cheek, his lips ghosting across hers as their bodies rocked while they panted. The fingers against her throat trembled, his chest rumbling against her back with a reverberating growl as he panted, and, when she opened her eyes, she was able to see how dilated his pupils were as he gazed at her. She couldn’t help the desperate, keening whine that warbled in her throat.</p><p>          “<em>Kore</em>,” he warned, his voice dropping to a whisper. She parted her lips on a gasp, her hand sliding up his neck to tangle in his dark hair. Sudden applause broke them from the daze, abruptly. Pushing her away in an artful spin, stopping her when only their fingers were connected, his lips twitched as he watched her curtsy in thanks. Looking up through the glass ceiling of the museum as she panted, Persephone sensed the parallels of that long ago night with this one, as the full moon peaked out behind a cloud, the world blossoming in the silver light.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I was TRYING to write more chapters for Triumvirate, but ended up with this stuck in my head, clawing its way out.</p><p>This is, in fact, some of my best writing.</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>